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Summer Oil Tank Maintenance: 3 To-Dos
Summer Oil Tank Maintenance: 3 To-Dos
Posted: August 3, 2020
Heating oil tanks aren’t complicated devices, but they do require at least some attention to run reliably year after year. Here are three things you should do in the coming weeks to keep your oil storage tank working well heading into next heating season.
Oil Tank Care Checklist:
Visually inspect your tank – Look for obvious signs of wear. Some suggestions:
Check tank supports and make sure they are not missing, rusted, buckled or bent.
Make sure the leg brackets are not cracked or separating from the tank.
Check the platform of the tank to ensure it isn’t cracked or deformed.
Look for signs of rust.
Run your hands over the tank and connectors to detect warps, dents, weeping or wet spots.
Get a pro to look at it – Even the most thorough visual inspection won’t reveal what’s happening inside your tank – but ultrasonic oil tank testing will. Look for professionals who offer this service: many steel tanks corrode from the inside out, often leaving few warning signs of a future leak or tank failure.
Top off your oil tank – This might seem like the odd man out on this list, but keeping oil in your tank is vital to its long-term health. Why? A tank that contains more air than fuel encourages the formation of condensation (water droplets) on the tank’s interior walls as seasonal temperatures change. This condensation creates two big problems for your heating system: first, damp conditions encourage bacteria growth in your fuel, which will eventually degrade your heating oil to a thick sludge that will jam your fuel lines and diminish your heating system’s efficiency. Second, accumulated moisture will eventually sink to the bottom of your steel oil tank (since water is heavier than oil) and corrode it from the inside out – a problem you won’t see coming until it’s too late.
Need a heating oil delivery or heating oil tank inspection in Androscoggin County, ME? We can help. Contact Murray-Heutz Oil and Propane today to schedule your heating service or heating oil delivery in central ME!
